Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1000. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 787 of 7 November 2023 the consideration given to extend the 2001 Temporary Protection Directive to Palestinian nationals living in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem; if he will provide details of the representations made at EU level since November 2023 in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29309/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza and my Department has worked closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation. This includes work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance.

Any person wishing to travel to Ireland can do so through a number of pathways. Details of the various pathways can be found on the Immigration Service website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/. It is important to say that all immigration avenues remain open for Palestinian nationals, including visa and family reunification applications.

Visa applications for family members of Palestinian nationals living in Ireland are considered on a case-by-case basis. My Department is in regular contact with the Embassy of Ireland in Israel regarding a number of visa applications, from residents of Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. The Embassy are actively engaging with applicants to gather the required documents to ensure that the Visa Division of my Department have everything needed to progress these applications.

The purpose of the Directive is to establish minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of what is termed a "mass influx" of displaced persons from third countries who are unable to return to their country of origin and to promote a balance of effort between Member States in receiving and supporting them. It is also intended to complement the International Protection system and protect it from being overwhelmed by such a mass influx. The activation of the Temporary Protection Directive is a matter for the Council of the European Union acting on a proposal from the EU Commission to deal with what the Directive describes as a "mass influx" of displaced person from a specific country or area.